18th century temple keeps Hinduism alive in Bangladesh

Kantajew temple, situated in the Dinajpur district in northern Bangladesh, is a late-medieval heritage site with one of the most amazing historical architectures of the country, that is tremendously valuable and worthy of preservation.

In 1704, Maharaja Pran Nath of Dinajpur started the original construction of the temple and it took another 48 years to complete the structure.

In 1752, the entire work of the temple was completed under the reign of Raja Ramnath, son of Maharaja Pran Nath.

The beautiful temple, with signature designs visible in the magnificently laid edifice with ornate terracotta, is dedicated to Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha and depicts the tales of Mahabharata and Ramayana on its walls.

The deities are placed at a higher pedestal inside the temple, whereby the devotees only offer prayers from a distance.

Every year on Janmashtami, the statue of Radha Krishna is taken by the boat through the river to Dinajpur to the King`s palace for two months.

The Prahlad Trust and the archaeological department of Bangladesh look after the temple.

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In 1704, Maharaja Pran Nath of Dinajpur started the original construction of the temple and it took another 48 years to complete the structure.